


I'm Sorry Brother.

by Cupping_Cakes



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional, Emotional Hurt, Hurt, M/M, Sadness, Strained Friendships, This never does have a happy ending, ZA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-03 16:42:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5298707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cupping_Cakes/pseuds/Cupping_Cakes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Why did this happen to us? Where did we go wrong?</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Sorry Brother.

**Author's Note:**

> A Few Quick Notes:
> 
> I woke up with this need to write Shane. I've been debating a fic centered around.
> 
> Shane/Lori  
> Shane/Rick  
> Shane/Beth  
> Shane/Rick/Beth
> 
> I just wanted to write Shane!
> 
> If you guys would like to see one of this fics mentioned above Comment!
> 
> Based on Episode: s02e12 Better Angels 
> 
> The first chapter of [Take My Everything.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5294456/chapters/12221846) is up if you guys wanna take a look. 
> 
> [A Storm in Her Heart.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4843268/chapters/11094269) and [Blood on Our Hands.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4759373/chapters/10882013) Have been updated with new chapters!
> 
> The Next chapter of [One Taste of You Isn't Enough.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5050117/chapters/11612995) Is being typed and will be posted soonish. All fic titled are linked.
> 
> :)
> 
> Enjoy!

_Why did this happen to us? Where did we go wrong?_

An eerie calm clung thickly to the air as they walked. Footsteps falling in tandem, just like always. One step together, as one. Every step bringing them closer, and closer toward the spot he'd chosen for this. Open, peaceful, quiet, everything neither of them had known since their last day on the job. He'd suffered, missing him, Missing the man best friend never seemed to describe. _Brother,_ was the only thing even close to what he saw when he looked at him. It wasn't his fault, it was the virus, whatever the hell had fucking went down that had done this to him. Lori, had put the wedge between them. One neither man could seem to overcome no matter how hard they tried. Both wanting the same thing, and refusing to step aside for the other. 

_Goddamn stubborn Brother, just wish it didn't have to be this way._

Pale moonlight gently washed over them, illuminating the darkness just ahead of them. Placing a silvery kiss against green blades of grass, and raven curls. He couldn't do this, couldn't betray his Brother, shoot in the back like some fucking animal. But he couldn't let him go, couldn't let him take Lori and _their_ baby for himself. Second best, wasn't how he wanted to live. Cast in Rick's shadow for whatever life he had left to live in this fucked up world. His fingertips brushed against the handle of the gun resting in the front of his pants. Feeling the weight, the soft chill against his warm touch at the cool touch against flesh. The thunder of his heart slamming within his chest. Watching Rick walk just ahead of him. Boots digging into the earth, raven curls kissed with silver from the glow of moonlight, could he do this?

_I'm sorry Brother, but I can't let you take my family._

It was then he saw it happening, unfolding before his eyes. Rick's gentle stride falling to a halt, hand moving slowly, as he holstered the colt on his hip. Back to him, as if he couldn't look at him right now. He knew, he'd always known Shane better than anyone else. Known every word before he'd said practically at one time. Shared a mind when they were on patrol, it was why they'd always been good together. A team, Brothers. A word that now caused a pain to stab through his heart worse than any heartbreak, or weapon could ever bring him. 

_Just keep walking Rick, keep fucking walking._

"So, is this where you planned to do it?"

He could hear it, the tinge of emotion lingering within his voice. The edge of emotion knowing he'd brought him here. He wanted so badly to throw down the gun, just fucking walk away. Leave like he'd planned to do with Andrea. Know even if he never saw Rick again, he was out there somewhere. Alive. But he couldn't, couldn't forget, or let go of Lori and their baby growing inside her right now.

"It's a good place as any,"

He was backing up, blue eyes gazing at him as he turned his head.

"At least have the balls to call this what it is-"

His fingers grasped around the handle of the gun, pulling it free. Dark eyes meeting cold blue suddenly as he turned around.

"Murder,"

He was looking at him, blue eyes shining against the glow of moonlight. Filled with anger, sadness, the same pain he could feel filling his own head, staring at the man he called Brother, best friend, partner. A man he would have died for on any given day. His eyes watched, watching him as he began to circle him. Eyes staring at him, like a wolf watching its prey. Something Shane found himself in admiration of, seeing Rick actually finding a strength in himself for once. If only he'd found it sooner. Maybe they wouldn't have been here now.

"You really believe if you walk back onto that farm alone. No me, no Randall-" 

"I want you to hush up,"

_Stop Brother, just stop._

"You really believe they're gonna buy whatever bullshit story you cook up?"

Dark eyes stared at him lost for a moment, wishing they could go back to that day in their cruiser. Eating burgers and talking about Rick's marriage. Laughing, joking, Forget this all happened, forget everything that had happened and just go Home. But he knew, neither of them could back down now. They were too far in now. 

"That's just it. It ain't no story. I saw that prisoner shoot you down. I ran after him. I snapped his neck. It ain't gonna be easy, but Lori and Carl- They'll get over you. They done it before. They're just gonna have to,"

Those eyes were looking at him, a coldness lacing them he'd never seen before. One unlike the eyes he'd always seen filled with joy, and heartache when he'd told him about Lori and him having problems. They didn't say Brother, they said stranger. A deep, low, sigh escaped his mouth, as he raised his gun. Aiming at the man he'd been through so much for, because of, fuck.

"Why? _Why now?_ I thought we worked this all out,"

His eyes followed him, silently watching him as began to circle him once more. Before the low, dry, chuckle rumbling within his own throat filled the silence between the two of them.

"We tried to kill each other, man. What you think? We just gonna forget about it all? We gonna ride off into the sunset together?"

"You're gonna kill me in cold blood?"

Something within Rick's voice changed, blue eyes glaring at him, as his steps became wilder, faster, as if he was debating diving at him.

"Screw my wife? Have my children _my children_ call you daddy? Is that what you want? That life won't be worth a damn. I know you. You won't be able to live with this,"

His hands lowered, lowering the gun as their eyes met each other's directly.

"What do you know about what I can live with? You got no idea what I can live with, what I live with! You wanna talk about what I can do, Rick? How about what you can do? Here I am. Come on, man. Raise your gun,"

Shane's arms stretched outwards, offering himself to him. Giving him a chance to end this, he didn't want this to be their end. He didn't fucking want this to be the way thing's went down between them, but he couldn't go back. Not after this, not after what he'd done. 

"No. No, I will not,"

""What happened, Rick? I thought you weren't the good guy anymore. Ain't that what you said? Even right here, right now, you ain't gonna fight for 'em?"

His steps were hurried closing the gap of space between them suddenly. Seeing the ice like glare of those eyes at him, his words, anger etched on the face of the man he'd called Brother until they'd ended up out here.

"I'm a better father than you, Rick. I'm better for Lori, than you, man. It's 'cause I'm a better man than you, Rick. 'Cause I can be here and I'll fight for it. You come back here and you just destroy everything!"

His voice was near screaming as he spoke. Yelling at him trying to make him see in some way how much he was hurting. Those eyes stared at him, jaw clenched, and filled with a rage he knew Rick would never give into.

"You got a broken woman. You got a weak boy. You ain't got the first clue on how to fix it,"

His hand rose, fingers clenching tightly around the handle of his gun. 

"Raise your gun,"

"You're gonna have to kill an unarmed man. Watch my hand,"

His fingers tensed around the gun, watching the slow, fluid motion of his hand reaching for the colt holstered at his side.

"Nice and easy. Easy does it. Now listen to me, Shane. There is still a way back from this. Nothing has happened here. We're gonna lay down our guns and we're gonna walk back to the farm,"

Rick's hand grasped around his colt, holding it out in offering to him. Slowly easing toward him, and closing the gap of space between the two of them. Blue eyes meeting his gaze directly.

"Together. Back to Lori. Back to Carl. Put this all behind us,"

His words rushed through his mind, maybe they could go back. Put this behind them, and forget the past. Focus on a future. His fingers grazed over the handle of Ricks colt when he felt it. Cold steel pushing forcefully through hot flesh. Warm, hot, wetness coating his body. 

"Shh,"

His body relaxed feeling Rick moving them, until he was kneeling above him. Blue eye's filled with the shimmer of emotion burning within them. He couldn't stop himself, as fingers reach out feeling for one final touch of Rick. One final goodbye, his hand touched his cheek.

"Damn you for making me do this, Shane. This was you, not me! You did this to us! This was you, not me- not me!"

Their hands clasped together, fingers lacing, as he saw the tears welling within blue eyes. Begging to fall, as he held onto him.

"Not me!"

Shane sighed deeply, trying to smile that famous Shane grin as his hand slipped from Rick's, falling to the grass beneath them never seeing the sadness taking over the man he'd called Brother.


End file.
